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''' '''Galactic Chronicles Children of the Deep © Vanessa Ravencroft 2014 Foreword This tale occurs after Captain Olafson and the crew of the Tigershark successfully ended the career of the pirate known as Red Dragon. Culminating in the discovery of a Seenian depot filled with fully intact Seenian ships and technology. They also uncovered the real reason behind Cam Elf Na's apparent madness, convinced all but a few Dai to join the Union. They ended the reign of the Hull builder's dictatorship revived the Fist Engineer of the Karthanians. Eric is still Erica entered into a civil union with Shea Schwartz. Mao married Cateria and Har-Hi secretly married Elfi. Of course her mother knew but Elfi being married officially would mean a pompous affair of many days. So they decided to keep it quiet for now. The year is 5028 -1- Flocks of Sky Tumblers swirled high in the cloudless blue sky as a sleek black lux flyer swooped down almost without making a sound and stopped right at the front of Magellan Gate. The limo had the logo of the Union Fleet on its side and the small red flag projected above its roof with a circle of five stars, surrounding one more star in its center. A massive Ult in Marine dress uniform jumped out from the pilots compartment and opened the door for an old man wearing a red kilt, white socks and polished shoes. The old man thanked the Marine .”Thank you Corporal Xurr. If you want you can take the day off. I will be busy in there for a while.” “Sir I just started my shift. I doubt Captain Morgan would approve.” “Corporal I am sure Captain Morgan won't object if the Admiral of the Fleet grants you a day off.” “You make a valid point Sir.” McElligott smiled at two boys not to far distant who had stopped their hover cycles and stared at the Nul in awe.” I guess I am not the only one still in disbelieve to see a Nul in Marine Blue.” “I am one of the very first, but by judging the 500 Million applications made daily,I wager this will be a novel site for very long.” “No it won't. I am very pleased how fast and smooth it all proceeds.” “We were enemies, but we Nul never hated and always respected the Union. Thanks to Prince Xon and his friendship to a human we learned we can trust you too.” The Admiral said. “One day that humans name must be revealed. We owe him that.” He approached the gate.”Corporal we are on Pluribus. You are now also a citizen. There are many things to see.” “IAdmiral Sir. I planned for days what I will do and see ever since I was attached to your security detail and knew I would visit Pluribus. There is one thing, I simply must see!” The Admiral got curious turned around all the way.”Visiting your societies pavilion?” “Why would I do that,Sir? I know everything that is to know about Nul culture. “The Assembly of course.” “Yes but not on top of my list,Sir” “Corporal Xurr now I simply must now. What is it you want to see?” “Stahl's Tree of course. I want to get a framed leaf.” McElligott raised both his hands.”You got to be kidding me!” “Sir, Nuls never kid. Someone could be offended. It is never good to offend a Nul not even if you are a Nul. Besides I am a Marine we never make jokes about the Eternal Warrior.” McElligott sighed. “500 Million Nul every day. Even a saint could get jealous at that.” “Sir?” “Never mind. Enjoy your day off. “ He had lost the good mood he had as he strolled past the gate, decided against the slideway as he still had time before his monthly meeting started. Most beings ignored him. Now if Stahl would stroll down Magellan path, he dismissed his own thoughts. Of course he earned it all and neither Stahl nor him did all this for glory. Richard never show boated. When the Citizen wanted to honor him and a huge majority voted to built him a memorial. He objected and wanted the funds spend for something else. They told him they already decided so he said.”Plant a tree or something.” It seemed something like a law of nature, no matter what this other Admiral did or said. It always turned into something larger than life. His tree grew in the biggest Oak ever and in a way was perhaps the most fitting memorial. A young girl stepped in his way and interrupted his musing. She was of Saran stock he was certain, even if the human species now were truly intermingled. She was mo older than maybe sixteen. She wore a tartan pattern mini skirt and a black top that hugged her pretty shape in a very becoming way. “I am sorry Sir, but are you not Admiral McElligott?” He smiled and said.”And who wants to know?” He asked that mostly of course for the benefit of the two or three cloaked marines on security detail. It was a safe planet and he had no political enemies as far as he knew. But no one in a position like this was without enemies. Of course were Kermac and a host of other non Union societies who now were more than nervous as the Nul and the Golden were firm allies and members. She said .”I am Petra Epoteth of Luxor. I am studying Union history and Sir,you are the greatest hero ever!” Now he really tried not to be vain, but because of the Corporal, his own thoughts earlier he could have hugged the girl.”Yes I am McElligott.” “Can I , I mean if it is not to much to ask. But can I take an image with you. Otherwise no one will ever believe me.” Of course he agreed and she detached the tiny hover cam from her PDD by commanding the robotic device to go into paparazzi mode. A small crowd gathered and every one wanted a few images with him. His dignity demanded that he had to end this but he felt suddenly right as rain I still can't get used to it, that a Nul now wears Marine blue. .Pluribus the yellow sun shone brightThe Old man in the red kilt that just climbed out of the sleek black Rolls Royce flyer thanked the Nul marine Corporal holding open the door. Ensign Sheila Rice had just graduated from the Academy and had orders to report to Arsenal VI, Space port seven and wait for her new assigment. This lobby she was to wait in had the same mustard yellow carpet and the same overal design as virtually every other Union fleet facility. It was all eerie similar to what she experienced just a little over a year ago. When she was sent to the same space port, but a different lobby and landing field to serve her fourth and final year as midshipman aboard a real ship. She was surprised just as all the other midshipmen to find out she would serve it aboard the Devastator. What a year it had been! She even once talked to the Eternal Warrior himself. He was everything his legend said he would be and then some! He knew stories about her planet New Texas even she didn't know. She had never met anyone not from New Texas who could shoot like him. He knew about horses and cattle and told her about the old Texas on Earth and how similar New Texas still was compared to this legendary place he called state. But now she was here again and landing field four of space port seven was not the home port of the Devi. Besides if she would have been assigned to the Devi as Ensign, why transfer her. She missed her friends of the Devi Cowboy's. Her friends had voted for her name suggestion. More out of chance than anything else, they had chosen the black color as most of the other team colors were already picked. During their introduction, held by the Captain himself, he told them that black had a very special meaning on the Devi. Later she found out that black had been chosen by a Midshipman team nine years ago. Olafson's Gang it was called. The instructors never failed to mention that team, no matter what anyone did they did it better. So she researched it and from what she could find out, the instructors did not exaggerate. Rumors had it that Master Chief Arlboro were friends with them. Not that anyone really believed this tough Ult would have mercy on anyone scraping the enviro tanks. Another story circulated were the Dai member of that group bested a Pertharian in combat, since one of her best friends was a Pertharian she was certain this was just another story. Besides Dai always got picked for fighter pilots, transferred to fighter country and never returned. She got interrupted in her musings as a Wurgus, in Fleet black entered the lobby. It was rare but not entierly uncommon to see them in Fleet black. Wurgus who picked a career in the Armed Forces usually picked Army Corps of Engineers. Well she was not entirely wrong, the Wurgus wore the Space Bee patch on his sleeve and thus was a fleet engineer but she never seen that specialization logo of five overlapping hexagons. The Wurgus looked lost.”Is that lobby 556 Level 16 ?” “Sure is, pilgrim. Had the same darn trouble finding it. The computronic always said my security clearance is not sufficient to ask directions to this lobby. I had to present my orders to security guards and robots.” The Wurgus rotated his onion shaped eyes independent from each other and spread the drum stick like appendixes. It was these so called Wurgae, that gave the Wurgus heads this eerie resemblance to freshly slaughtered and plugged chicken. The Wurgae however were akin to natural antennae allowing them to detect electromagnetic waves. The Wurgus agreed and came closer.”You do know that this part of the space port is usually reserved to NAVINT ships.” “NAVINT? What good would a science ensign with geology major be to NAVINT?” “I am an engineer specializing in armor tech. I expected to assigned to a mobile dock or repair ship. I have no idea NAVINT could need someone like me.” A large bird like creature, wearing Union black with the rank of Luitenant passed through the opening door. The being moved very fast. Sheila recognized the being as Walite. The species was home in the Andromeda galaxy. Everyone agreed they were as aggressive and war like as the Terrans, except of course the Walites and the Terrans. The Walite greeted both of them with a crisp salute.” Has our ship arrived yet?” Sheila identified the birdlike being as female by the direction her uniform lapel was folded and the gender prefix F on her name tag.”No ship has been announced to us yet, Ma'am.” The Walite looked at her PDD and seemed relieved.”I am still nine minutes early. There are few things we hate more than not being punctual.” The bird like creature greeted the Wurgus and sat down folding her long legs under her. “Lieutenant Graa, may I ask you a question?” “Certainly Ensign. We are bound to serve on the same ship so it appears” “Do you know what ship we are going to be on?” “Yes, the USS Tigershark.” Category:Fragments